T-Mobile unlimited data is not so unlimited

T-Mobile has announced its ‘unlimited plan’, an interesting option for heavy users of data plans on smartphones. The problem is, it’s not really unlimited:

The new T-Mobile One plan will come with unlimited mobile hotspot data, letting subscribers use their phone to connect a computer or other device to the network, but at 2G speeds. Speaking on the conference call this morning, T-Mobile executives said a premium option will be available with a higher-speed hotspot. Update: T-Mobile says the premium hotspot option will cost $15/month extra for 5GB of high-speed data.

Forget about ditching your current DSL/Fiber/Cable connection at home: the dream of paying just one data plan is just that, a dream. In Spain and other European countries unified (“convergent”) plans are quite popular, and they seem to be the way to go on the foreseeable future.

They make sense for the carriers and the users , who keep getting hungry about their mobile data needs. Nice bait for those carriers too, that nonetheless provide packages that at least in developed countries solve our needs easily.